Thoughts on dealing with a *difficult* seller..?

Let me preface this by stating that I've owned more than 80 pre-'70 vehicles at last count, and have located and passed leads along on dozens more. Never - ever - have I come across someone who actually wants to sell this way though.

Cadillac guy I've been doing business with over 21 years asks me if I know anyone interested in purchasing a really nice original '59 Chrysler Imperial Southampton. Turns out he owns it. I was shocked because he rotates his Cadillacs as daily drivers and I've never even heard him whisper anything other than Cadillac. Price seems very reasonable. It took him almost a year to get me even crappy pics, always having an excuse for not showing it! Here are the best 3 (out of 2 color, 9 B/W), taken the last time it saw sunlight in 1990:





He swears it is in the same original unmolested, rust free condition as shown 18 years ago as it has been kept in climate controlled storage since - buried behind several other vehicles. 46k miles on the odometer. Black & white interior. Never any accidents.

Here is the pisser: He will NOT even show the car unless someone has buy money in hand! Not taking that personally having known him again for over 21 years, I had someone else call on the car from out of state. Same response. "No pictures. No seeing it. You either want to buy it or not."

Seems a bit archaic. Did I mention he is over 70 and paranoid..? At any rate, he just dropped the price a grand. Let's say it is under $15k. I'd love to hear how you would deal with this seller and a fair value range. He scoffed at my $500 cash deposit in person. I'll only be in the area for the next 2 weeks. Thanks in advance.

 

Based on those pictures, show up with cash in hand, and expect damn well to take it home.

 

Are you interested in buying just to flip it? Personally, I don't like people buying stuff from me just to flip it.
If you're really interested, do as he asks; go see the car with cash in hand. You can always walk away if it is not as he describes.

 

I could buy it with my credit card...I always have money on hand.

I say there are lots of other fish in the sea. Move on.

 

Wouldn't flip it. If I had that much cash available, obviously I'd take it along. Not about to liquidize other assets that I enjoy without validating this Chrysler's condition firsthand. I enjoy original untouched vehicles much more than restored - hence my main interest.

And if I pass, I'm more than happy to turn the lead over.

 

dont sound to me like he really wants to sell it!!!!!!!!!!!

 

take money with you, you can always walk away if you dont like it or its not as described.

he probably doesnt really want to sell it but feels he needs to for whatever reason hence the reason hes being a bit cranky.

 

I don't see what the real problem is here. Just about every time I go look at a car I've got the cash in my pocket to buy it. And often, I will show the potential seller that I've got the cash and I'm serious. So the real question here is why WON'T you bring the cash??

 

sounds a bit nutty to me. is it a smokin deal? something you really got to have?

who knows where this guys mind is. 15K in one pocket, Glock in the other.

 

The guy probably spent too much time with tire kickers and I kind of agree with him, if a person don't know what that car is worth and if they aren't positive they want it, they shouldn't waste his time.

 

Maybe it is kharma coming back at ya Attila?

 

It is a bit squirrelly..If it is as nice as picture and description, has the Imperial 392 innit, for 14K, thats not a bad deal at all...

 

If a guy's known you 21 years and is doing this all of a sudden, one of two things is going on.

Option A, he's showing early warning signs of dementia, and you're seeing it manifested as paranoia. Really common for alzheimers and parkinsons.

Option B, you've insulted him over the years with what he thinks are lowball offers, and he's tired of your time-wasting crap and this is his way of saying it politely.

If he's your friend you better sort it out. If he's not, you're the one with the money, and thus the power. Know when to walk away.

good luck

 

Show up with the cash in hand,if the car turns out to be not as said to be...walk away.

 

If you want the car, as long as it is as described, Take the cash and tell the guy you are coming with the cash in hand as required, if all is kosher you'll buy. If you find you don't want it for any reason, you will walk away. If he has an issue with those terms, walk away now.

His terms strike me as "don't waste my time" terms. Neither one of you has power over the other. He has the car. You have the money. He'll trade you the car for the money, but wants you to be serious enough to actually have the money at the time of the deal. Pretty simple in my book.

 

Thanks! We always talk about Cadillac or old bikes when we see each other. I've been a faithful customer of his business that long and have never made any offers on any of his vehicles.

 

X 2. 100% on the money advice

 

Now that I think a little more, would like to add option C

He's got real financial problems. The kind of financial problems that reach out and touch your bank account to where you can't deposit a check without somebody grabbing their share. Hard shell is to keep you from asking questions he doesn't wanna answer.

good luck, rare and cool car you're chasing.

 

maybe hes on the edge of dementia and tired of tire kickers and knows you have owned more than 80 pre 70s cars and when he sells you the car it will be on Egay tommorow for twice the purchase price! ... who knows , pay him the dough and drive it home then do what you will..

 

Ask him if he'll take a check drawn on The First National Bank of Botswana.

 

I like the guy! Way too many nose pickers and tire kickers out there trying to steal one. He's an old creaky jigger that struggles to even turn on the light switch, let alone lift the door for you. Give him some respect and show up ready to buy. After all, he was generous enough to alert you to the opportunity.

On the other hand, you mention you need to liquidate assets to have cash in hand...so you aren't even close to a ready buyer. Don't eat the boogers.

 

Wow, "flipping it".

That was sarcasm, right?

 

The guy is wise enough to know what he has and has it priced fairly. His selling proposition is going to eliminate all the picture taking, tire kicking, low ballers. I like this style of selling.

 

I bet any money the car is buried in a garage somewhere, very much not accessible, and he doesn't want to fuck around getting it out just to show someone. Maybe he's got other stuff in the garage that he doesn't want other people to know about, so he can't just bring you there to show it to you. Plus, old guys are cranky.

I kinda agree with the old guy, it sucks showing stuff to people who have no money to buy. He only wants to sell it if there's cash in hand, no fucking around. And if you trust the guy as to how nice the car is, then why not. I love a big finned Imperial.

 

Wish my Dad's '60 was a '59, my 46 would be gone and I'd be wiggling the dough in his face every holiday.

 

Soundslike he must be "slipping" a little bit. How can you, logically, expect someone to come from another state to buy your car without so much as a picture?? that defies logic. I don't think any of us "savvy' HAMBERS would ever buy a car in that price range without at least seeimg a picture. Maybe he wants to sell it but doesn't want to go through the process of selling it. Or, maybe, he just wants to see if he can make someone buy his car without ever seeing it, you know, just to see if he can do it!

 

Remember it is his car his place you gotta follow his rules. Im kinda like the old guy myself. If you want to buy from me Come prepared to buy bring cash and a way to take it with you that day. Dont bring your dogs little kids gripey wifes,girlfriends or more then one other person with you or you wont get past the gate. So many lookers are thieves that come back when you are gone. Shure i probably miss some sales because of my actions. But i dont really care if i sell anyway.OLdWolf

 

sounds like he is a firm believer in the old saying
"MONEY TALKS AND BULL SHIT WALKS"
if you really want it then go with cash in hand what's the worst that could happen, you come home with your money?

 

Since you've delt with him before, take the cash with you and go see it. Talk to him and look at the car. He's getting old, maybee isn't sure that his price is right, maybee he has some sort of personal attachment to it. If you want a flip you need to look at it pretty good to be sure it will sell and won't cost you a fortune to get it in condition to sell.

 

Or Option C, he has dealt with "Atti" before and knows his reputation. Feel free to search Attila over on the Jockey Journal if you want to know more.